Window-blind.



DAYIOX I. ANDREWS, OF SOUTHINGTOX, CONNECTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

WIND OW-B LIND.

Patented Aug. 4, 1908.

Application filed May 13, 1907. Serial No. 373,262.

To all whom i t may concern:

Be it knownthat I, Darrox I. ANDREws, a citizen of the United States, residing at Southington, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful \Yindow-Blind, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a window blind of the swinging slat type, which shall be sim )l0 and inex )ensive to produce, the slats of which shall e easy to operate and will remain in any position in which they may be placed, and which shall be so constructed that it may be painted as often as may be required without danger of setting the slats or interfering in any way with their working.- With these and other objects in view I have devised the novel window blind, of which the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing is a specification, reference characters being used to indicate the several parts:

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly broken away, to illustrate the construction of my novel blind and Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 in Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. Y

10 denotes the frame, 11 the slats and 12 the usual operating rod. The slats swing upon pins 13 which may be of metal and are driven firmly into the ends of the slats at their mid-width and turn in sockets 14 in the inner sides of the frame. Each of the pins 13, ata distance from its pivot end substantially equal to or slightly less than the depth of the sockets 14, is provided with a collar 15 of considerably greater diameter than said sockets. With the above construction when the pivotcads of the pins are placed within their corresponding sockets, the collars 15 it closely over and effectually close the sockets in the sides of the frame without, however, interfering to the slightest extent with the rotation of the pins in the sockets. Important functions of these collars are to re tain the slats in a central position and prevent endwise movement thereof and, by covering the sockets in the frame in which the pins turn, to keep the sockets free from dirt and prevent paint from getting into the sockets to set the slats or otherwise interfere with their working when the blinds are painted.

In order to insure that while the slats shall work freely and easily atall times, they will also remain in any position inwhich they may be placed, 1 provide bow-springs 16 which may be made of an elongated diamondshape, as shown in the drawing, the bowing of the springs causing the points thereof, which are indicated by 17 to engage the wood at the mid-width of the inner sides of the frame.

Two springs are ordinarily quite sufficient for each set of slats, the springs being preferably placed atabout the mid-length of the series of slats, one spring on each side of one of the slats. For convenience in assembling, I provide each spring with a central opening 18 large enough to receive the collar 15 on a pin freely, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

In use, the springs do not change their position, but the mid-lengths of the s rings bear upon the opposite ends of the sat to which they are applied with sufficient friction to retain that slat and with it the other of the operating rod, in any posit-ion in which they may be placed. The slats work freely and withoutendwise movement when suflicient power is applied to overcome the friction of the s rings, but are retained by the friction of t e s rings in any position in which they may e piaeeth For a long series of slats, two of the slats in the series may be provided with a spring at each end. Ordinarily, however, it will be found quite sufficient to provide one slat only with springs.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a window blind, the combination with'a frame provided with sockets, slats within said frame, and pins, each of whichis rovided with a collar of greater diameter t HID. said sockets, said )ins having a rigid e'ngagement with said slats at one of their ends, their other ends being placed within corresponding sockets, said collars bearing against and closing the entrances to said sockets, of a pair of bow-springs interposed between the ends of one of said slats and said frame, said springs being provided with openings, of greater diameter than said collars, through which said pins pass.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

Y DAYTON I. ANDREWS. Witnesses:

. M. L. Pnsrr,

J. H. Penn.

slats, which are. connected thereto by means 

